Kikuza Squash Seeds (93 days)

This great Japanese heirloom was first introduced to the U.S. right here in the Bay Area.

The Oriental Seed Company of San Francisco offered it in 1927.

The skin is yellow-orange, ribbed and lightly wrinkled.

Kikuza's flesh is thick with a small seed cavity, sweet, tender and some say spicy.

Best picked when they reach 4-7 pounds.

Nice roasting and baking squash.

Seed Planting Depth

Seeds per ounce

Germination Temperature

Days to Germination

Row Spacing

Plant Spacing

100' Row Yield

Sun

1"

90-110

70-85

3-10

48"

24-36"

100 lb.

Full

Planting Tips For Heirloom Winter Squash Seeds:

Heirloom winter squash don't mind the heat as much as their name implies. Only plant once the soil temperature warms to at least 70 degrees and keep in mind that most heirloom varieties of winter squash take 110 days to mature. So be sure to leave enough time to allow them to fully develop.

Plant 3-6 heirloom squash seeds per hill. Once they have shown true leaves and grown in size, you should thin out to the 3 strongest plants. Remember, harvest these winter squash continually in order to keep the plant producing.

Seed Care tips for Heirloom Winter Squash:

Heirloom seeds are hardy but always take care with your garden seeds to give them the appropriate amount of moisture - not letting the vegetable seeds dry out prematurely or overwatering and possibly having them rot.

EASY BAKED WINTER SQUASH

Ingredients:

1 Winter squash (a favorite for this recipe is Acorn squash)

1 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Teaspoons maple syrup

a pinch of salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F

Cut the squash in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and strings from the center of each half of the squash.

Take a sharp knife and cut a few half inch deep X shapes into the inside of the squash flesh. This should not be cutting chunks out, simply, scoring the flesh.

Place the squash cut side up onto a baking sheet. It is helpful to fill the baking sheet about 1/4 inch deep with water to prevent the squash from burning or drying out.

For each half rub with a tablespoon of butter, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar, one teaspoon of maple syrup, and 1 pinch of salt.

Cook for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. It will be done when the top is slightly browned and the flesh is soft.

When the halves are cool enough to handle cut out the cooked flesh and serve.

The Limon pepper is small and yellow with a fresh citrus flavor that is hot like a scotch bonnet. It dries well and makes great hot sauce. Limon is so well loved on the biodynamic farm in Philo, CA, where it is grown for us, that the farmers produce it for their own use season after season.

Costello is a bright leaf variety imported by the USDA from Columbia in 1967. It grows to a height of 5-6 feet with closely spaced leaves. Plant form is an inverted cone. Matures in 60-65 days. Ripens evenly and is easy to cure whether primed or hung whole. Has a high nicotine content at 24mg/g of dried leaf. Mild flavored.